Waiting for Maltam…

February 2008, rebel forces are swooping on N’Djamena, the Chadian capital city, after a blitzkrieg attack from the east of the country. Fleeing fighting, thousands of people seek refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, spontaneously settling in the city of Kousséri. In the cold, windy night, without any blanket or food, they are waiting for the High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) to take them to a camp under construction in Maltam, 30 km away.

Restless with exhaustion and hunger, refugees are on edge. Taking the opposite course of many NGOs, a young humanitarian is fighting a desperate battle against misery, with only a few tarpaulins for weapons.